Ellen DeGeneres makes Hollywood comeback six years after bullying accusations
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres is set to reprise her iconic role as Dory in a new short film connected to the 'Finding Nemo' universe. The project marks a notable return to one of her most recognizable characters.
While details remain limited, the development has already generated significant attention. Beginning in 2020, 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' came under scrutiny following allegations of a toxic workplace environment, including claims of intimidation, racial insensitivity, and inappropriate conduct by senior producers, which led to a notable decline in public support for the host.
Ellen DeGeneres set to return as Dory in upcoming animated short film
Ellen DeGeneres is set to reprise her role as the forgetful blue tang fish in the newly announced short film. She also confirmed the development by sharing a screenshot of the report on Instagram, captioning the post, “Excited about this.”
The project is currently in early production, with no confirmed title, storyline, or release date disclosed so far. Dory first appeared in the 2003 animated film 'Finding Nemo,' where the character emerged as a standout due to her optimistic personality and short-term memory loss.
Her popularity led to the 2016 sequel 'Finding Dory,' which went on to achieve significant commercial success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide. She has previously voiced the character in both films, marking one of her most recognizable roles in cinema and was also her final film appearance.
Beyond the two films, she has also voiced Dory for 'Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage' at Disneyland Park, in addition to contributing to various short-form projects and cross-platform appearances featuring the character. Although the former talk show host continued to remain active on television until around 2021, when her public image declined significantly following allegations.
The controversy surrounding DeGeneres gained traction in March 2020 after comedian Kevin T. Porter posted a tweet inviting people to share accounts they had heard about the host’s behavior, which drew widespread attention and thousands of responses.
Four months later, BuzzFeed News published an expose citing one current and ten former employees of the talk show, who raised allegations related to racism, workplace bullying, and inappropriate conduct within the production environment.
Ellen DeGeneres reflects on backlash, career shift, and move to UK
By August 2020, WarnerMedia had initiated an internal investigation, resulting in the dismissal of executive producers Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman, and Jonathan Norman from the show. DeGeneres issued a formal apology to the show’s 255 employees and also addressed viewers with an on-air apology.
The final episode aired on May 26, 2022, concluding a 19-season run that earned 64 Daytime Emmy Awards over its tenure. DeGeneres later described the backlash as a “coordinated misogynistic” attack directed at the host.
Reflecting on the experience in 2022, she told The Hollywood Reporter, "I have to just trust that whatever happened during that time, which was obviously very, very difficult, happened for a reason. I think that I learned a lot, and there were some things that came up that I was shocked and surprised by. It was eye-opening, but I just trust that that had to happen."
After a prolonged hiatus, DeGeneres returned to the screen with the 2024 Netflix special 'Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval.' The release received mixed-to-negative critical response, registering a 33% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Meanwhile, she and her spouse, Portia de Rossi, relocated to the United Kingdom following President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. DeGeneres also stated that the couple had considered remarrying in the UK amid developments in the United States concerning the legal status of same-sex marriage.
"We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, he got in, and we're like, we're staying here", she said.
